In the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Projects), services are prescribed that are referred to as MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services) (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
MBMS is a service in which multimedia data such as moving pictures or music (hereinbelow referred to as MBMS data) are simultaneously transmitted by broadcast or multicast to a plurality of mobile stations.
In addition, a system referred to as an MBSFN (Multimedia Broadcast Single Frequency Network) is prescribed in 3GPP as a mode of offering MBMS.
An MBSFN is a mode in which each of a plurality of wireless base stations sets an identical wireless parameter set (such as frequency) in channels used in transmitting MBMS data in cells that are formed by these wireless base stations and transmits identical MBMS data to mobile stations.
Thus, as seen from mobile stations, a plurality of cells that are formed by each of a plurality of wireless base stations can be considered as one large communication area. This communication area is referred to as an MBSFN cluster.
In a W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) wireless communication system, a wireless base station (NodeB) and Radio Network Controller (RNC) are typically split between different apparatuses.
As a result, when an MBMS is offered using an MBSFN in a W-CDMA wireless communication system, the radio network controller designates to wireless base stations, that are under its jurisdiction, wireless parameters that are to be used by the wireless base stations.
Coordination of wireless parameters can thus be established among wireless base stations and an MBSFN cluster can be formed that straddles a plurality of wireless base stations.